Sheriff Robert Ogden appeared to have won re-election to a six-year term Tuesday, defeating former Oak Bluffs police chief Erik Blake in unofficial results.
With only write-in votes and votes from Gosnold left to tally, Mr. Ogden held a 576-vote lead over Mr. Blake, 2,104 to 1,528. Mr. Ogden outpolled Mr. Blake in all six Island towns.
Mr. Ogden declined to declare victory until all votes could be verified.
“It looks like I’ve got a pretty good lead,” he said. “It sounds like I’ve taken it.”
On a rainy primary election day, voters across the Island turned out in healthy numbers to choose their candidates in a range of races, from governor to county commission. Turnout ranged from 32.5 percent in Aquinnah to 21.5 percent in Oak Bluffs.
In Dukes County, the Democratic Party ballot included contested races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and state auditor. Maura Healey, whose primary opponent dropped out in June, earned strong support from Vineyard voters, who also backed Kimberly Driscoll for lieutenant governor and William Francis Galvin for secretary of state.
Island Republicans favored Chris Doughty over Geoff Diehl for governor, Leah V. Allen for lieutenant governor and Christopher Robert Lauzon for state senator.
But much of the attention on the Island was focused on the sheriff’s race. With no Republican opposition, the winner of the Democratic primary is the presumed general election victor.
Mr. Ogden said he was “just really excited about getting back to work” and gave thanks to his campaign council and “the 45 volunteers who stood out in the rain today.”
Turnout in non-presidential primaries has varied widely on Martha’s Vineyard, from just 17 percent in 2014 to 33 percent for the last statewide primary election in 2018.
“We had about 24 per cent of voters turn out, which is pretty average compared to other years but pretty good for a primary. There seemed to be a good amount of interest. The rain didn’t stop them,” Edgartown town clerk Karen Medeiros said.
“It’s been nice and steady all day, which has been a pleasant surprise for a primary,” said West Tisbury town clerk Tara Whiting-Wells, where turnout was at 30 per cent. “We had 235 early votes and voters are still rolling in at the end of the night.”
Ms. Whiting-Wells said she was helped by 12 volunteers throughout the day.
Dinny Montrowl has been helping out at elections for so long she paused when asked how many years it’s been.
“I’ve lost track,” she said.
Ms. Montrowl also said it had been steady flow of voters.
“We haven’t had a lull all day,” she said.
Town officials have four days to file official results, so some race outcomes will not be known immediately. Voting in Barnstable was also extended to midnight to make up for a delayed start in that town, which may add to the delays in some Cape and Islands race results. Check back for updated town by town results.
Bill Eville, Louisa Hufstader, Aidan Pollard, Brooke Kushwaha, Noah Glasgow and Thomas Humphrey contributed to this story.
